Eight CEPS officials, one policeman arrested over Anas' cocoa smuggling story

Nine arrested over Anas' cocoa smuggling saga         Eight Customs officers and a policeman implicated in the smuggling of cocoa to neighbouring countries have been arrested by police CID. Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kwesi Ofori confirmed this to Joy News on Monday. The nine were captured on a video in a comprehensive undercover investigations led by ace investigative journalist and sub-editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Anas Aremeyaw-Anas on how Ghana's cocoa get smuggled. DSP Ofori told Joy News reporter Benjamin Tetteh the police have begun further investigations into the matter and will soon arraign the suspects before court. This he said is part of measures to rid the security of bad nuts, but was quick to add that the accused persons will first have their day in court to defend themselves. Source: Myjoyonline.com

Court orders full disclosure of bank account of Wereko-Brobby

Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby An Accra court has ordered the Prudential Bank to disclose the full details of the bank account of a business venture run by Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, CEO of the defunct Ghana@50 Secretariat. The order given on March 10, 2010, was given on the basis of an ex-parte motion filed by the Deputy Inspector J.K. Lodonu of the Commercial Crime Unit on March 9, 2010. It directs the Prudential Bank Limited to disclose the full details of the said bank account to the police for the period 1 January 2006 to 28 February 2009 – the very same period during which Dr Wereko-Brobby served as the chief executive of the Ghana@50 Secretariat. In a statement issued by Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby in Accra on Tuesday, the application to the court served by the police cited a purported case between the Republic of Ghana and Dr Wereko-Brobbfy’s business as the basis for the request of the order. According to Dr Wereko-Brobby, the move was an invasion of the confidentiality between his company and the bank. Dr Wereko-Brobby has denied knowledge of any court case between his business and the police which warrants the application. “I have never been invited by the police nor at any time been charged with any offence(s) in relation to the operation of the business under reference. I therefore find it both intriguing and mischievous that the police can go to court and claim to the court that it is prosecuting a case between the State and my business venture; for which reason one A. S. P. Annor, purportedly named as the prosecutor, was heard by the court, following which an order was served on the bank to breach the confidentiality of its relations with me” “I also find it intriguing that the Honourable Justice granted the motion on an ex-parte basis without seeking to hear my side of the story or obtaining incontrovertible evidence of the existence of a legal action against my business before granting the order with so much haste”. If the court was minded to be fair and even handed, it could have asked my bank to make arrangements for me to appear before him to argue my case before coming to a decision on the matter.” “I have instructed my legal counsel to take urgent and immediate steps to have the court order set aside as I am not aware of any legal action that the police has taken against my business or any police investigations into business. I challenge the police to provide evidence of when they commenced any prosecution against my business name or myself and when I was served with any charges,” Dr Wereko-Brobby stated. Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Bribe Police For Court

THE FOUR policemen who were caught red-handed on Wednesday morning collecting bribe money from drivers on the Achimota Overpass in Accra will soon be processed for court. The Public Affairs Director of the Ghana Police Service, DSP Kwesi Ofori, disclosed this in an interview with Kessben FM in Kumasi on Thursday. He revealed that a full-scale investigation has been launched into the case with the view of establishing circumstantial evidence to enable the police administration process the offending policemen for court. DSP Ofori made it known that for now, the four wayward police officers would be interdicted for the purpose of ensuring that they do not interfere with investigations. Speaking ill about the practice where police officers detailed to enforce traffic regulations end up extorting money from drivers, he indicated, “Police officers are not beggars who go to the streets and beg for alms”. DSP Ofori stressed that the Police Administration is determined to weed out ill-disciplined officers who drag the reputation of their noble service into the mud. Noting that police services such as the lodging of complaints and the granting of bail for accused persons do not attract a fee, the police PRO entreated the public to report such illicit activities to the police administration for action. DSP Ofori said his outfit is doing everything possible to clean out the mess from the police service for the common good of all and sundry, urging the public to cooperate with them. Probably the biggest news since the beginning of this year was recorded on Wednesday morning when some four police officers were caught red-handed collecting bribe money from drivers on the Achimota Overpass towards Abeka Lapaz in Accra. The prohibited activity of these police officers, who are dispatch riders from the Police Central Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU), was uncovered by a team of police officers who were detailed to the place following a tip-off. While an amount of GH¢170 was found on L/Cpl. Daniel Yemoh, and GH¢89.20 was retrieved from his colleague L/Cpl George Rockson, their seniors; Inspector Joseph Karikari and Sgt. Anthony Nyarko did not have any money on them at the time of their arrest. DAILY GUIDE has learnt that in times of such operations, the money collected is kept by the junior officers till it is over before the proceeds are shared. One of the police officers, who ostensibly did not want to be captured on camera, was said to have bolted when a TV camera focused on him. But unfortunately for him, he was re-arrested at the CID block of the police quarters. The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Paul Quaye, according to media reports, announced at a recent interaction with regional commanders that he was going to embark on a crusade to redeem the deplorable image of the police service. The special team that arrested the four impish cops was part of the wide ranging measures put in place by the IGP towards the image-redemption exercise. It is common knowledge that the practice of giving bribes to police officers by commercial drivers, especially in the urban areas, is a bizarre development that has stared the nation in the face for a very long time. This eerie spectacle has persisted all this while due to the entrenched perception that no matter what, a police officer will always find fault with a vehicle, thus the best thing to do to prevent unnecessary delays is to pay your way through. From Morgan Owusu, Kumasi/Daily Guide

IGP launches Image cleansing strategy

IGP Paul Quaye Inspector General of Police Paul Tawiah Quaye has launched a new strategy aimed at building a new image for the police administration. Christened “Image cleansing strategy” the IGP said the police will from hence weed out miscreants whose conducts cast the entire police administration in a bad light. “It is a matter of pride, however for me to say that the service has within its ranks a large number of personnel with impeccable moral character and whose sterling professional qualities and background are comparable with the best in other institutions in the country. “It is regrettable that the unacceptable behaviour of the handful of our personnel have given causes for the public to have negative perception that the average police man is of a mediocre calibre and an under achiever with no moral strength of character,” Paul Quaye lamented at a meeting of regional police commanders in Accra on Friday. He noted the time is ripe to sever that negative perception and to project the image of the institution. Outlining the image redemption strategies, Mr Quaye noted the police will embark on a “problem solving policing approaches”. Among other things,“we want every person who walks into a police station or an office with a problem to receive the best service available,” he said. He also warned that officials whose acts or conducts derail the process will be dealt with severely. “Listen here carefully, I must warn members who exhibit tendencies of non-compliance with directives relative to the image improvement strategies, because they are going to have themselves to blame.” The Vice-president and chairman of the police council, John Dramani Mahama, who was part of the meeting said the government is determined to make the police administration as neutral as possible. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Ghana: Five Armed Robbers Jailed 100 Years

The Accra Fast Track High Court has sentenced five armed robbers to a total of 100 years’ imprisonment in hard labour.

Joseph Annan alias Tettey, Joe Osei Brenya, Larkotey Lartey alias Shaka Baabu, Nii Ayittey Hammond alias Paa Joe and Papa Nii Copson alias Corporal, all pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to rob and robbery.

A sixth suspect, Benjamin Asante, who was part of the armed robbery gang, was not in court as the Accra Regional Criminal Investigations Department (CID) was holding him in another robbery case.

The Odorkor District Police Crime Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Baffour Apenteng, told the Daily Graphic at the weekend that on May 4, this year, the six young men met at the James Town beach to plan and execute a number of robbery activities.

He said the robbers first struck at Korle Gonno, where they snatched a taxi from its driver. He said the six men drove in the taxi to Awudome near North Kaneshie where they snatched a Daewoo car, with registration number GW 8352 P, from its owner and took away the victim’s valuables in the car.

According to him, the six men divided themselves into two groups of three with a group in each car. DSP Apenteng said after embarking on a number of robbery activities within the North Kaneshie vicinity, the convicts drove to Gbawe where they robbed a lady of her bag and mobile phones and sped off.

He said on their way back to the James Town beach, the robbers saw a roadblock mounted by a team of police personnel; they then parked the two snatched vehicles to take away their booty on foot.

Unfortunately for them, DSP Apenteng said, the last lady they robbed at Gbawe, who was then coming towards Accra on a Metro Mass bus, saw the robbers and raised an alarm.

He said Joseph Annan was arrested while the others escaped. DSP Apenteng said the Odorkor police went underground and were able to arrest the others between May and July this year.

According to him, the five robbers all pleaded guilty when they were put before the court, presided over by Mr Justice N. M. C. Abodakpi, and were accordingly sentenced to 20 years each in hard labour.

Story : Albert K. Salia

Pastor denies cleansing private parts of lady followers

Court found him guilty of cleansing but he insists he is innocent A Teshie based pastor has repeated his claims of innocence despite being found guilty of ‘cleansing’ the private parts of his lady followers for purification. Kojo Addae was slapped by a magistrate court in La, a suburb of Accra, with a fine of GH¢ 600.00 or be jailed for eight months if he fails to pay. In an interview with Joy News the embattled pastor said he never washed the private parts of the lady. According to him, the lady even testified in court that she performed the cleansing herself. He conceded however, that he prepared the ‘concoction’ for the purification. He accused his victim and members of her family of distortions and exaggerations in order to destroy his reputation. He said he deserved any punishment, but certainly not for this. He claimed to have been subjected to severe beating by members of the family. Meanwhile Chairman of the Ghana Christian Council Mr. Fred Deegbe has condemned the action of Mr. Addae. He said many people do all kinds of things in the name of God and warned; even if they escape jail term the Almighty God will hold them accountable for their actions. Police Prosecutor Bernard Berko, confirmed to Joy News the accused has settled his fine. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Interior Minister: Shoot To Kill If…

Following the current trend of armed robbery in the country, the interior Minister, Mr. Cletus Avoka has declared war on armed robbers anywhere in the country and has inspired the Police to shoot them if possible, “kill them, if that is the only way to save yourself.”. According to Mr. Avoka, the first law of nature is self preservation and for that reason, he has encouraged the Police to value their lives and that of the good citizens of Ghana. He stated, “the police don’t have to spare them if they are fired at. Shoot them dead if they try to kill you because you are trying to protect lives and properties of citizens.He said, although he values the concerns of the human right institution, the law of self defence is also enshrined in our law books and the lives of our security personnel is also valuable to this nation. We have to draw a line somewhere, either the lives of the robbers or the lives of our security personnel. He made it clear that he does not condone a policy of shoot to kill, but if one’s life is at risk, he or she can apply the law of self defence, likewise a police officer must not lose his or life to an armed robber. “Shoot him if he tries to kill you because an armed robber is not licensed to kill.” He added that it is painful to suffer and acquire property only for an armed robber to use just a day to come and kill you and take away your property. The minister was speaking on Peace FM’s morning show “kokrokoo” in reaction to a statement he made yesterday during the inauguration of a police council to the effect that the police should not spare the lives of armed robbers if theirs is at risk. Whilst speaking on the show, a report came in from our correspondent, Teacher Korsah in Wassa Bekwai, that a police officer had been murdered. The minister cited that as a typical example saying “if the policeman had shot the robbers, he wouldn’t have lost his life. credit:peacefmonline.com